Four-ward: Taking a look at the Ateneo Blue Eagles 2011-12

This appears in ateneo.edu

Four-ward

Taking a look at the Ateneo Blue Eagles of 2011-12

by rick olivares

When Eric Salamat gave his goodbye speech to the Ateneo Blue Eagle faithful at the Church of the Gesu following its epic win over Far Eastern University in last year’s UAAP Finals, aside from thanking people, he asked one question: “Nasaan si Kiefer?”

The Phenom is in blue and white. So is Greg Slaughter.

Even back high school, the Phenom was drawing raves even from his college peers. While playing for the RP Youth Team, he was scoring on noted defenders like San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva and San Beda’s Rome dela Rosa but he isn’t going to be taking anyone by surprise now. More so after that awesome debut against San Beda during the summer. As the pre-season got on, he found it tougher when pushed, bumped, sandwiched, and punched in the face (by FEU’s Mark Bringas). He’ll get his points but it’s not easy. But he’s got Slaughter in the middle to feed.

And so begins the quest for four straight and the season that everyone has been waiting for is a few days away.

And there are a lot of questions surrounding the coming college hoops season. Let me try my hand in answering them.

Does winning the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup send a message to the UAAP that Ateneo is going to win the UAAP title for a fourth straight year?

Until someone pries it from our cold dead fingers then it’s a yes. It was won with key players – Eric Salamat, Ryan Buenafe, Jason Escueta, Art dela Cruz, and Chris de Chavez missing. Furthermore, they made the semifinals of the Fr. Martin Cup. Had they had a day of rest, they would have played for a second summer title. Of course, Season 74 won’t be as easy as last year because every one has loaded up to beat Ateneo.

Since Season 71, we’ve seen the gradual loss of seasoned veterans to graduation and academics. The players on the previous title squads knew heartache as they were there for the loss to UST in Season 69 and the futile Final Four of Season 70 against La Salle. Those two disheartening losses fueled their championship drives for the succeeding years.

In Season 71, Ateneo went 13-1 in the eliminations and 3-0 in the playoffs

In Season 72, Ateneo went 13-1 in the eliminations and 3-1 in the playoffs

In Season 73, Ateneo went 10-4 in the eliminations and 3-0 in the playoffs

Last year, the Blue Eagles made up for all the anxieties of the elimination rounds once the Final Four began where they flashed their deadly form. And with the controversy surrounding Greg Slaughter’s eligibility (it had to go through a shameful vote), you can be sure the games this season will be a little more personal in nature.

This year, the Blue Eagles parade 11 veterans and five rookies. Of the vets, JP Erram and Jeric Estrada hardly qualify for that as they hardly got any playing time. It is not going to be easy. An 11-3 or another 10-4 record isn’t far-fetched although it is a possibility they could even win all their games if every one is healthy and they play their cards right. Once the second season arrives, they’ll elevate their game.

One thing you have to remember is that this team is made of winners. Players who have won at different ages and tournaments and so they know what it takes to win. And players like Kiefer Ravena, Greg Slaughter, and Gwynne Capacio know what it’s like to be on both a winning and losing side. They know what needs to be done, what energy and effort is summoned to win.

A champion team simply doesn’t win on talent alone. They have unbelievable chemistry and they bounce back in the face of adversity.

But some faces are no longer there and that might tell.

Not having Art de la Cruz to academics (who was on his way in becoming a big time star with Ateneo) is huge. He brought scoring, defense, and intelligence to the Blue Eagles’ second unit. The upside is that the others will have the opportunity to step up.

And there’s the matter of Ryan Buenafe who is like baseball’s Alex Rodriguez. He tantalizes us with his talent but brings so much more extraneous stuff that the team doesn’t need. But he’ll be sitting out this season and some players will have to grow up in a hurry.

How good is this Ateneo rookie batch – Kiefer Ravena, Greg Slaughter, Von Pessumal, Gwynne Capacio, and BJ Cipriano? How is compared to the batch of 2008 when Ryan Buenafe, Nico Salva, Justin Chua, Tonino Gonzaga, and Vince Burke came in? Is Kiefer as good as advertised? Will Greg perform?

When the 2008 batch entered, it was only Ryan who started and delivered immediately. Nico Salva became a bigger contributor the following year while Justin Chua found his form last season. The presence of heady veterans ahead of them cut heavily into their playing time. It’s the same with this batch of 2011 rookies.

Kiefer and Greg will contribute right away and how. Well, Slaughter isn’t exactly a rookie. He played for three years for the University of Visayas where he led them to a three-peat in CESAFI. He knows what it’s all about. Kiefer was named MVP of the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup! And that was alongside veterans RR Garcia, Garvo Lanete, and Alex Nuyles. Mapua’s Yousef Taha was another rookie who cracked the summer tournament’s Mythical Five selection. Yes, dad, the Phenom is for real.

Of the remaining three – Gwynne, Von, and BJ -- I figure Capacio to get a few more chances than the latter two. Now the rookies contributing can be good and it can be bad. You can look at the Miami-Chicago Eastern semifinals for why and that’s it’s the vets who will deliver while the rooks must learn that they cannot cut corners. Ryan had an easier time assimilating himself because of the presence of Chris Tiu, Eric Salamat, Nonoy Baclao, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini to name a few.

I remember during the rookie year of Kirk Long, I asked a team official who will lead the Blue Eagles in scoring after the departure of JC Intal. He said, “Kirk Long.” I think Kirk has rounded out into a great all-around player and someone who should have been in the Mythical Five selection of last season but back then it didn’t seem so.

Still it’s a possibility that Kiefer could lead the team in scoring. If it doesn't happen, he will – to my recollection – be the first frosh to do so since Steve Watson pulled the trick in 1975. What made Watson’s feat all the more incredible was he was only a high school senior playing in the seniors team (it was allowed back then) and he was leading the team in scoring.

It is also possible that Slaughter will battle FEU’s wondrous RR Garcia for league MVP (with Ravena making it a three-way fight) but that is the least of the Blue Eagle slotman’s concerns. He’d love to win a UAAP title that would fit nicely with his CESAFI titles that he pocketed while with the UV Green Lancers. It’s a good way to head into the PBA Draft (the jury is still out for him finishing his two years in blue and white).

The Blue Eagles will go back to the offense they had in Seasons 71 and 72 when they had Rabeh Al Hussaini – they will feed the Buddha in the lane.

After this year where Long, Monfort, and Austria end their college careers, Capacio and Pessumal will be the ones to carry this team.

As for the veterans, with no Al-Hussaini, Baclao, or Salamat around, Nico Salva, Justin Chua, and Tonino Gonzaga must contribute not only heavily but also more consistently. Ditto with Emman Monfort.

Is Oping Sumalinog going to regain his PCCL form of two years ago?

In that series, he was posting up, defending the slot against Aldrech Ramos and Reil Cervantes no less, running the break, and pretty much doing everything. He made up for the absence of Rabeh Al-Hussaini in that tournament and FEU was unprepared for his onslaught.

But that was then and this is now after a costly ACL injury. From what I’ve seen in the pre-season, I sure hope so because so far it’s not there. I sure hope that he is able to log minutes and contribute consistently.

Are we going to miss Ryan Buenafe?

We sure will. Nothing like a proven crunch time player in the team’s arsenal. Not having him is one weapon less we have. We had Chris Tiu and Ryan Buenafe on the same unit before and at times the ball never seemed to touch the floor as it was whipped around in crazy fashion leading to a bucket. We were like the FC Barcelona of basketball.

Kiefer and Greg will make up the loss of the output of Salamat and Buenafe. When the game is on the line, the duo’s number will be called up and can you imagine if Ryan were suiting up this year? Who would the opponent guard?  

The four-peat can be achieved but it won’t be easy.

The Blue Eagles do not have an outside gunner. Will this affect their attempt at a four-peat?

Since Jai Reyes graduated, the team has not had a gunner to keep the defenses honest. They do have Emman Monfort but similar to last season, they have a bunch of others who can hit it from time to time – Ravena, Austria, Gonzaga, Sumalinog, Capacio, and Buenafe. They may have a terrible percentage at it but when the chips are down they make them.

How do I see the rotation?

Greg Slaughter – Justin Chua – Jeric Estrada

Frank Golla – JP Erram

Nico Salva – Bacon Austria – Oping Sumalinog – Gwynne Capacio

Kirk Long – Tonino Gonzaga – BJ Cipriano - Von Pessumal

Emman Monfort – Kiefer Ravena – Juami Tiongson 

Norman will go to a 12-man rotation for this team with Capacio being given some minutes.

How do you size up the competition?

Everyone has upgraded their lineup. All built to beat Ateneo. I figure FEU will really miss Reil Cervantes and Paul Sanga. Adamson has the same crew but this could be their last chance to get past Ateneo. National University with or without Ray Parks will not be an easy customer. La Salle will be tough because they got taller with the addition of Norbert Torres, Arnold Van Opstal and Alfonso Gotladera. Plus they get up to play the Blue Eagles. We could meet them for the UAAP title.

Weiss preaches caution amidst Azkals’ roster concerns

Give me a low five. 

This appears in the Wednesday July 6, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Weiss preaches caution amidst Azkals’ roster concerns

by rick olivares

“In football there are no guarantees.”

Philippine Men’s Football National Team head coach Hans Michael Weiss pleaded for caution following the Azkals 4-0 demolition (5-1 on aggregate) of Sri Lanka in the opening round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers last Sunday, July 3 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

In two separate interviews with the German coach at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium and the Diamond Hotel where the team was billeted for the home match, Weiss seemed noticeably irked with the flip-flopping of football fans over the team’s results.

“We have several things going on for us,” defended the gaffer. “First is the system we have been trying to introduce. Systems need to be in place. We ran that against Mongolia with a 3-5-2 formation but we had to change our tactics for the (AFC) Challenge Cup. Second is, we have new players. New players means learning the system and developing chemistry. It is not an overnight achievement for us. And third is, you are playing football. There are no certain wins especially when you play in another team’s home field. None.”

In the same breath, Weiss, who has been head boss for six months now and totes a 3-3-1 win-draw-loss record, complimented for the support bequeathed on the team. “It’s amazing to see this kind of love and support,” he said with a smile.

Some 12,870 fans trooped to the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium to brave alternating weather conditions from extreme heat to sudden rains.

With chemistry and a killer instinct a problem (Weiss believes that his team should have scored more goals in the second half against the Brave Reds), an even bigger cause for concern is the unavailability of midfielder Stephan Schrock and team captain Aly Borromeo for the away match against Kuwait on July 23 due to cumulative yellow cards. “We cannot afford to get hammered by several goals in an away match because that places a lot of pressure on us in the home game,” cautioned Weiss. “If Ray Jonsson and Jerry Lucena will play that will help us.”

However, it is unlikely that Jonsson will be released by Grindavik, his club in Iceland. The Iceland Premier League squad recently suffered several injuries to key personnel and cannot afford to release him for the Kuwait matches because of a conflict with club games around that week. 

De Jong in the meantime, is only playing for the Azkals’ Under-23 team after he was released by Indonesian team Persiba Balikpapan for continuous violations of the terms of his contract.

Fil-Dane left back Dennis Cagara already signed the FIFA document that certified his intent to play for the Philippines. That document, the sole remaining that is needed for his to suit up for the Azkals, prevents him from playing for Denmark, his country of birth, in any tournament. It remains to be seen if he will join the team in their Persian Gulf matches.

Other former mainstays of the national team – midfielders Chris Greatwich and Jason de Jong – remain unavailable. Greatwich, who is currently playing for the Morris County Colonials of New, Jersey, USA in the National Premier Soccer League, a fourth-tier team in the American footballing pyramid. Greatwich expressed his intent to play for the away match in Sri Lanka but after a discussion with Weiss, who wanted him to make the training camp in Duren, Germany, begged off.

The Azkals are scheduled to leave for Bahrain on July 14 after which they will play the host country’s Olympic football team on the 16^th at the Nation Stadium in Riffa and once more at the Muharraq Club Stadium in Arad on the 18^th. The Bahrain national team battled the Kuwait team to a scoreless draw in a friendly last February.

The Philippines plays Kuwait on July 23 at Kuwait City and returns to Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on the 28^th for the home match.

The Local Organizing Committee of the Philippine Football Federation announced that details regarding ticket sales for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Round 2 Leg 2 - Kuwait vs. Philippines will be made on Friday, July 8 by the Local Organizing Committee. The kickoff for the July 28th is at 7pm. 

PFF Announcement on July 28 ticket sales

An announcement for the sale of tickets to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Round 2 Leg 2 - Kuwait vs. Philippines will be made on Friday, July 8 by the Local Organizing Committee. The kickoff for the  July 28th is at 7pm. 

From AFC: our two boys will miss the away match vs Kuwait

In an official email to the Philippine Football Federation, the Asian Football Confederation Competitions Officer of the National Teams Competition Department, wrote: "The yellow cards received by your players from Round 1 & 2 will be carried over."

This was in response to a query by Home Match General Coordinator Cathy Nazareno-Rivilla about the two yellow cards levied on midfielder Stephan Schrock and central back Aly Borromeo.

Azkals gear up for training in Bahrain

This appears in the Tuesday, July 5, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Azkals gear up for training in Bahrain

by rick olivares

After the historic 4-0 win by the Philippines over Sri Lanka in first round of the Asian Qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Philippine Men’s Football National Team will take a break for a few days while the team’s brain trust maps out their next moves. The next move is another training camp in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain by mid-July for a home-and-away series with Kuwait.

“I think we really need a short break,” said right back Anton del Rosario during the team’s celebratory dinner at the Diamond Hotel in Manila last night. “We were away for a month and while the travel and the training camps abroad are good, you just get homesick after a while. That is why the win against Sri Lanka here at home was so good.”

“Masarap na nandito na ulit sa Pilipinas at lalong lalo na panalo pa,” reinforced Azkals co-captain Chieffy Caligdong.

National Team manager Dan Palami said that acclimatization with the Middle Eastern weather conditions was just as important. “You saw how that was a problem in Mongolia although we had trained in Japan,” said Palami. “That was difficult because of the cold. This time it’s the heat. So it’s extremes. That is why we pay close attention to the players’ conditioning.”

The team manager also said the training camp was made through an invitation by the Bahrain Football Federation and the Filipino community residing in the gulf state.

National head coach Hans Michael Weiss said that it is possible that he will lose some of the team’s top players due to other commitments but he could have defenders Ray Jonsson and Jerry Lucena available for the away match against Kuwait which is ranked #102 by FIFA.

The Competitions Committee of the Asian Football Confederation, confirmed the suspension of midfielder Stephan Schrock, who had a superb series against the Brave Reds, and team captain Aly Borromeo for their next match after accumulating two yellow cards in the Sri Lanka home-and-away series.

“We have to play a different kind of game against Bahrain,” disclosed the German coach. “Now we begin to play more quality opponents and play in quality pitches.”

During the post-match press conference yesterday, Weiss took a dig at the pitch at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo, “The pitch in Sri Lanka is normally used for planting tomatoes or potatoes.”

Added Palami, “I was thinking with better pitch conditions we can impose our offense and bring up the ball much better. You saw what happened – four goals.”

Palami added that the tinkering with this team isn’t done yet. “We should have a plan to certain situations where one is off, we have another come in and play quality minutes. We are still in need of a deeper bench. We’re still tweaking some parts and we still have that gaping hole on top of back four.”

The national team manager who during last year’s successful Suzuki Cup run bared his goal of seeing the Philippine ranked somewhere in the 120s said the target is doable and reachable. “I think so you just have to make sure we are not complacent and we have to work hard as a team. We have the talent and we have these regular training camps. We may not achieve the desired results all the time but these are things we have to learn from.”

Notes: Neil Etheridge shed tears for the recent passing of his grandfather. It isn’t only the Philippines’ number one goalkeeper who is grieving. Paul Mulders lost his father two weeks ago while Stephan Schrock is still dealing with his father’s passing a few months ago.

Statement of President to the Azkals

Kuwait here we come!

This appears in the Monday July 4, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Kuwait here we come!

by rick olivares with pic by brosi gonzales

MANILA -- It turned out that the Philippines Men’s Football National Team was right. After playing on a terribly maintained pitch at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka that wreaked havoc on their finely tuned passing game, the Azkals, playing on a well-manicured Rizal Memorial Football Stadium pitch, flashed deadly form and routed the Brave Reds 4-0 in front of a capacity crowd of 12,870.

The prize for the win was a historic ticket to the next round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers against Kuwait at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on July 23^rd. The Philippines’ home match will be on July 28^th also at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

The superb midfield of Chieffy Caligdong, Stephan Schrock, Manny Ott, and James Younghusband was firing on all cylinders as they crisp passes and through balls to their hungry bevy of forwards.

But it was Caligdong who struck first, when he weaved through two defenders in the 19^th minute and struck the ball past a flailing Sri Lankan keeper Manjula Fernando and into the first post after which it ricocheted in.

In the 43^rd minute, Phil Younghusband took a pass from older brother James as he too, ditched two defenders before finding the back of the net for the Philippines’ second goal.

Fil-Spaniard Angel Guirado notched his first World Cup Qualifier goal (his third overall for the Azkals as he scored two against Bangladesh in the AFC Challenge Cup) in the 51^st minute when he received a perfect through ball from James Younghusband and beat the offside trap. The 6’3” forward from Malaga, Spain made the Brave Reds’ defense eat grass in his wake as he sidestepped Fernando before slotting it into an empty net for a huge 3-nil lead.

Phil Younghusband scored a brace with a penalty shot in the 56^th minute after Schrock was brought down inside the box by a Sri Lankan defender Chathura Wellala Hettige. Younghusband’s goal was his 16^th for the national side. It was a stunning 4-0 win, the Philippines biggest in recent memory. The decisive win put the Philippines’ record in World Cup Qualifying play at 1-2-1 (the Philippines played Laos in 2001 drawing them 1-1 at home before losing 3-nil in the away match).

In the first half alone, the Philippines had 12 shots on goal to the two of Sri Lanka. Come the second half, the Azkals poured it on. “What can you say,” said the Brave Reds’ Korean coach Jang Jung. “It was experience versus inexperience.”

With the Sri Lankans unable to mount any serious offense, they resorted to the high ball something the Philippines’ pair of central backs – Rob Gier and Aly Borromeo – expected.

“We knew what was coming,” said an elated Borromeo who may yet rue a second caution for a late tackle. The Azkals’ captain was whistled for a yellow card in the away match in Sri Lanka. It is uncertain as of press time whether the cautions will be carried over into the next round.

“We looked forward to coming home,” said the nationals’ head coach Hans Michael Weiss whose record with the Azkals is now at 3-2-1 since taking over from Simon McMenemy last February. “We’ve been away for a month and I am not a Filipino but it was good to come home and play in front of a home crowd.”

The nationals will leave for Bahrain by mid-July for training in Middle East conditions.

Bleachers' Brew #267 Bus rides & plane rides

This appears in the Monday, July 4, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

With the Chief, the Captain, and Burkey.

Bus rides & plane rides

by rick olivares

Inside the team bus as the Philippine Men’s Football National Team left Sugathadasa Stadium after a 1-1 draw with Sri Lanka, the team sat in sullen silence. It was a stark contrast on their way in for this current team’s first ever World Cup Qualifiers match where the players were in good spirits as music blared and the chatter seemed to show a loose team. “Maybe we were overconfident,” postulated the nationals’ captain Aly Borromeo. “Maybe it was because they (Sri Lanka) played like underdogs normally do – they fight hard.”

As they made their way back to the hotel, the only noise inside the bus was music escaping the headphones of iPods and the occasional cuss word in Ilonggo from the Visayan-based players. “We were disappointed because we didn’t get the job done and we did not live up not just to our expectations but also of others,” explained central back Rob Gier. “But that’s football. There are no sure wins.”

It wasn’t too long ago when on a bus ride to My Dinh National Stadium to play Vietnam in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, where the team was also in high spirits. Never mind if they were about to play the defending champions. The game – it’s final 2-nil result for the Philippines – is now forever etched in football history. Yet on the way back to the Sheraton in Ho Chi Minh City, the lights inside the team bus were put out and the team still in a state of disbelief in one of the biggest upsets in the sport, sat in tempered jubilation.

They weren’t the only ones in muted disbelief. The streets leading out of My Dinh were lined with thousands of fans who had filed out in a daze because the unthinkable happened.

Inside the bus, striker Phil Younghusband, who had scored the Philippines’ second goal, vomited after a bout of food poisoning that kept him up all night. Just them, midfielder Chris Greatwich who first put the Azkals on the scoreboard, suddenly banged his palms on the window and began yelling, “Yeah, we did it! We did it!” at the top of his voice as Vietnamese fans looked on.

It’s been a strange and surreal trip and is perhaps best capsulated in bus rides and plane rides by the team as they go about on an unlikely world football tour.

In Colombo, what the television cameras failed to show was the incessant booing that was heaped on the Filipinos. When they made their way to the dugout at the half trailing 1-nil, local fans ran towards the edge of the grandstand seats to boo, flip the bird, and spit at the players.

“That pissed us off,” said Borromeo who remembered all to well the rude reception in Jakarta during the semifinals of the 2010 Suzuki Cup. “We had to take care of business in the second half so flying back home put us at a favorable position.”

Gier flew from England to Germany and spent the two-hour flight deep in thought. He read and heard a lot – “all good stuff,” Gier pointed out -- about Schrocky (Stephan Schrock), (Paul) Mulders, and (Nate) Burkey and he couldn’t wait to rejoin the team for their training camp in Duren. “It wasn’t like we lost bad players. We replaced quality players with other quality players. Possibly even better ones,” said the central back. But football and his Azkals teammates weren’t the only thing in his mind. His wife, Emma, was seven months pregnant with his first child – a girl – and Gier prayed that nothing untoward would happen in his absence. “But I was excited. How can you not be? Not everyone gets a chance to play for a slot in the World Cup Finals? That’s a massive massive opportunity of a lifetime.”

On the plane ride to Manila, the “opportunity of a lifetime” had taken on a different meaning with the change of venue. “Flying in, it was all about playing in Manila for the first time and for a historic opportunity to advance,” expounded Gier.

It was the first time since the 1991 Southeast Asian Games that the nationals were playing a football match in Manila. Curiously, almost ten years to the date of a historic 1-nil win over Malaysia in the biennial event.

“Para sa akin, ang home field ng Azkals ay sa Panaad (in Bacolod),” opined Chieffy Caligdong on the bus ride from the airport to the team hotel in Manila. “Pero pagkakataon ‘to para maka-abot man lang sa group stages ng World Cup Qualifiers at para patibayin ang football hindi lang sa Pilipinas pero para sa Manila.”

Seven months ago, Caligdong was mulling an early retirement from the men’s football national team to take a coaching course. Now he feels he can play another three, four, or five years before he hangs up his boots. “Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa lahat ng pangyayaring ‘to,” said the Azkals’ co-captain.

In Germany, the team couldn’t believe how perfect the football pitches were, how big, fast, and talented the native footballers were, and how hard they trained (three times a day). “Malayo pa tayo,” observed Caligdong. “Marami pa tayong kailangan gawin.”

It isn’t only the Chief in a state of disbelief.

“I can’t believe that I am talking to you on the night before a big game,” said Borromeo to this columnist. “Before no one would even talk to us. Every now and then I ask myself, ‘is this really happening?”

It’s been a strange and surreal trip. While training for the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers in Japan, a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit the country. About a month later, while conducting a tryout camp for Fil-Americans in San Francisco, an earthquake hit the city by the bay. “I couldn’t believe it that I’d be in two different cities and have the same thing hit you,” thought the team captain. “But I guess it adds spice to the journey.”

Paul Mulders’ journey to the national team began with a plane ride to Manila from the Netherlands to meet the team and fix his Philippine passport. “I was excited on the way here,” offered the tall midfielder. “I knew I was coming home to the land of my mother’s birth and that she was proud of what I was doing. That means a lot to us. On the way back to Manila from Sri Lanka, I was thinking, ‘Let’s make history.’”

  With Aly and Paul.

A peek into the Managers' Meeting before the Sri Lanka-Philippines July 3 match

A managers' meeting between the two teams always precedes the pre-match press conference. This is where they discuss all the guidelines for the match from the official training sessions, media access control, security, audience traffic & management, list off prohibited items, medical facilities, the match rules and the uniforms. The match commissioner pours through all the details. Nothing is left to chance. Everything must be discussed from extra time to injury time. The match commissioner is Manirul Islam of Bangladesh while Malaysian Selearajen Subramaniam is the referee assessor. The referee is Sang Woo Kim of South Korea. Assistant referees are also from South Korea -- Jun Mo Jang, Kwangyeol Yoon, Hyungjin Ko.  

All the different committees either present their plans or what is being done while some -- such as media -- is discussed by the Match Comm with particular heads. In this case, for media, it's me. It's been tiresome and at times stressful but I have to say that I have been having a lot of fun with it (muchos gracias, Bonnie). MCd the pre-match press con and will do the same for the post-match press con tomorrow. I won't be able to do any writing for my newspaper until after the post-match press conference. 

The teams present their uniforms from the kits to the socks to the alternate kits. Everything is listed down and when the referee inspects teams the following day, he expects everyone to abide by what was discussed. Sri Lanka will be wearing white for the match (check it out on the table). What is being displayed is goalkeeper Manjula Fernando's jersey.

Here's a pic of all the persons involved. I'm taking pics so obviously I'm not sitting down. My chair is to the right of PFF Technical Head Aris Caslib. 

The Azkals' liaison officer Ace Bright presents the kits for tomorrow. Take a gander at the gold numbers on the blue unis. Pretty spiffy, huh? And the white kit isn't so bad. Got my blues but not the whites (yet).

New kicks: Mizuno Wave Rider 14

I was looking into getting a pair of new cross trainers or tennis shoes and while looking at the Mizuno line of running shoes, I was drawn to the Wave Rider 14. I still use my Nike Zoom Triax which I love for its comfort as it does not stick to my feet like second skin. For me, space is just as important because my feet don't feel boxed in. But I wanted a new pair and thus the Wave Rider 14. It is my first ever pair of Mizuno kicks. 

When I first put it on, I thought that the toe area was a bit narrow. I've got big and wide feet so you can imagine how excruciating it is wearing leather shoes. But I love the cushioning and the intercool feature of the ventilated mesh outer portion. It love how it reduces the effects of heat on the feet. Try it on without socks. Now this is "air"! 

I got it nevertheless. And by night time, after having it broken in, the shoe had conformed to my feet and I found it even more comfortable. The Dynamotion Fit feature for the heel keeps the foot snugly in place while in motion. It is said to help reduce blisters and the stress level on heels but that's something I'll be able to verify in the next few weeks. For now, I'm loving this.

On a scale of 1-10 with the latter being tops, here I rate the Mizuno Wave Rider 14 (the reservoir blue color) so far:

Cushioning: 8

Stability: 9

Weight: 10 (much lighter than my Triax which I am demoting to a 8)

Style: 7 (Mizuno isn't Nike in terms of looks and while we know that in shoes, the design counts a lot, the Wave Rider 14 doesn't knock you out instantly. But give it a chance on your feet and you're reinforced with the feeling that beauty is skin deep.)

Price: It costs just a bit under PhP5K but with regards to this acquisition, I cannot comment. Loving it is all I'll say.

The traffic flow for Sunday July 3 around Rizal Memorial Football Stadium

The Adriatico section in front of the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium will be closed 11pm of Saturday. Kindly take note of the traffic flow for the Sri Lanka-Philippines match on July 3, 2011. 

Sunday can’t come soon enough for the Azkals match

This appears in the Sunday July 3, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Sunday can’t come soon enough for the Azkals match

by rick olivares

The general consensus is, “It’s good to be home because we’re going to play our style of play on our home field and get a win.”

The Philippine Men’s Football National Team arrived last night on board an Emirates flight after a long sojourn abroad while training in Germany and playing it’s first ever World Cup Qualifiers match in Sri Lanka.

Back on home soil, battling jet lag and disappointment about not getting a win in Colombo, the players couldn’t wait to get it on.

“Sana linggo na,” said team co-captain Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong while picking up some sports apparel at the Mizuno head office in Magallanes Village in Makati. “Babawi tayo dito.”

It isn’t only the players who are excited. All 12,870 tickets have been snapped up. Some 2,000 tickets (the share of Sri Lanka that was returned for the match) went on sale last Monday morning. Thirty minutes later, it was sold out. “We’re doing what we can at the last moment to accommodate more fans,” said Local Organizing Committee Chairman and Philippine Football Federation Treasurer Bonnie Ladrido.

The 12,870 seats is less than the 16,000-plus capacity of Panaad Stadium in Bacolod which the Azkals previously called home. Beginning with the July 3 match against Sri Lanka, the Azkals will begin playing at the refurbished Rizal Memorial Football Stadium which the Philippine Football Federation has pumped some Php 8.4 million. “The field was taken care of by La Salle. We worked on the seats, the bleachers section, the dugout, the media room, and the comfort rooms,” expounded Ladrido. “Should we advance to the next round against Kuwait, we will play our home game on July 28 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium again.

Some 400 of those seats, albeit in the center bleachers section, have been allotted to the Kaholeros, the booster group tasked with coming up with chants, cheers, and beats for the burgeoning football scene that has seen a massive spike in popularity following the Azkals’ success in last year’s Suzuki Cup where the Philippines entered the semifinals for the first time in the 16-year history of the competition. The Kaholeros made their unofficial debut during last month’s exhibition match between the United Football League All-Stars and the Azkals in which the latter won 4-3. “We just wanted to introduce the basic beat where any chant can start,” said PFF Fan Management Committee Head Richard Joson who gained notoriety during the Azkals’ match in Panaad last February when he ran onto the track surrounding the pitched dress in a blue wig and blue and white face paint. “The Blue-haired Freak was born that day,” said Joson.

The Kaholeros will be introducing a unique music instrument in the “aquadrum” which is actually a water jug used for coolers and dispensers. “It makes a unique percussion sound,” added percussionist Paul Zialcita, the man behind the beats. “If Africa contributed the vuvuzela to football lore, then the aquadrum is ours.”

The July 3 match also has a special significance.

“It’s a chance for us to make Philippine football history,” added striker Phil Younghusband who was pulled out early in the second half for Fil-American Nate Burkey. “And for the first time to play in Manila. We want to display our talent and full potential.”

Playing in it’s first ever World Cup Qualifiers match at home, the excitement is at a fever pitch. Over a hundred journalists from all over the world will be covering the game. As of Friday afternoon, journalists and photographers from Sttutgarter Sportkurier, the British Broadcasting Company, Reuters, European Pressphoto Agency, Reuters, Xinhua News Agency, and Sri Lanka will be joining their local counterparts in covering the game.

According to the Philippine Football Federation, the number of foreign accreditations means that interest in Philippine football is soaring not just at home but abroad. “We’ve seen that when Jason de Jong was playing for the Azkals and Irfan Gonzales was playing for Indonesia,” said PFF President Mariano V. Araneta. “The Dutch media covered and wrote about their two native sons even if they were also suiting up for the countries of birth by one of their parents. It shows that football is truly a global game.”

There are reports that no less that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III will be in attendance as well as other government officials and showbiz personalities.

“It’s a big game no doubt,” said central back Rob Gier, whose deflection of a Chathura Gunaratne free kick dipped in past Philippine goalkeeper Neil Etheridge for Sri Lanka’s stunning first half goal, was in high spirits. “Is there pressure? But we’re ready. And with a better pitch to play on, we’ll be able to move that ball up and down the field. Schrocky (midfielder Stephan Schrock) will have room to show what he can do.”

The poor quality of the Sugathadasa Stadium pitch in Colombo somewhat stifled the Azkals’ attack while negating their speed up and down the field. “You can’t make a full run because it’s uneven,” described right back Anton del Rosario. “On the day of the match, they were still patching up holes on the ground! Incredible!”

The Philippines came away with a 1-1 draw; a result that is still acceptable because in the event of a scoreless draw in Manila, the away goals rule of a double count for scores is in effect. For the Philippines to advance to the next round where Kuwait awaits, they have to win or hold Sri Lanka to a scoreless draw.

“We’re definitely going for a win,” pronounced del Rosario.

Burkey, a former midfielder for Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia, USA, scored off a rebound of a Caligdong free kick that hit the lower area of the crossbar that James Younghusband was unable to head in.

James Younghusband agreed with younger brother Phil: “We should be better than we were in Sri Lanka.”

With a gimpy Angel Guirado, Philippine head coach Michael Weiss is said to be mulling going with Ian Araneta to start the match and go with his veterans.

“Kahit sino,” offered Araneta who came off as a second half substitute for Burkey and who had a decent scoring chance. “Ang importante bigay todo at panalo. Malaking karangalan ‘to para sa bayan.”

With some of the media folks covering the match on Sunday.